Authenticated Identity Body
Encyclopedia
Authenticated Identity Body or AIB is a way of sharing authenticated identity among parties in a network
, allowing a party in a SIP
transaction to cryptographically sign the headers that assert the identity of the originator of a message, and provide some other headers necessary for reference integrity.
ABI is described and discussed in RFC 3893: "For reasons of end-to-end privacy, it may also be desirable to encrypt AIBs [...] While encryption of AIBs entails that only the holder of a specific key can decrypt the body, that single key could be distributed throughout a network of hosts that exist under common policies. The security of the AIB is therefore predicated on the secure distribution of the key. However, for some networks (in which there are federation
s of trusted hosts under a common policy
), the widespread distribution of a decryption key could be appropriate. Some telephone
networks, for example, might require this model. When an AIB is encrypted, the AIB should be encrypted before it is signed."
Telecommunications network
A telecommunications network is a collection of terminals, links and nodes which connect together to enable telecommunication between users of the terminals. Networks may use circuit switching or message switching. Each terminal in the network must have a unique address so messages or connections...
, allowing a party in a SIP
Session Initiation Protocol
The Session Initiation Protocol is an IETF-defined signaling protocol widely used for controlling communication sessions such as voice and video calls over Internet Protocol . The protocol can be used for creating, modifying and terminating two-party or multiparty sessions...
transaction to cryptographically sign the headers that assert the identity of the originator of a message, and provide some other headers necessary for reference integrity.
ABI is described and discussed in RFC 3893: "For reasons of end-to-end privacy, it may also be desirable to encrypt AIBs [...] While encryption of AIBs entails that only the holder of a specific key can decrypt the body, that single key could be distributed throughout a network of hosts that exist under common policies. The security of the AIB is therefore predicated on the secure distribution of the key. However, for some networks (in which there are federation
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
s of trusted hosts under a common policy
Policy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
), the widespread distribution of a decryption key could be appropriate. Some telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
networks, for example, might require this model. When an AIB is encrypted, the AIB should be encrypted before it is signed."